The best store credit cards of June 2026

Many retailers try to convince you to open a credit card at checkout by offering an intro discount, typically 15% to 25%. Some cards come with free shipping, discounts, special financing and other perks.

While experts warn against opening store credit cards due to high APRs, it's OK as long as you're responsible about paying your bill on time and in full.

There are two types of store credit cards:

• "Closed-loop" cards: Can only be used at the specific retailer that issued it or at related properties listed on the card. The Target Circle™Card, for example, is a closed-loop store card that can only be used at Target.
• "Open-loop" cards: Have a major card network logo (like Visa or Mastercard) and can be used anywhere that network is accepted. For example, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a co-branded card backed by the Visa network. While there are special rewards when shopping at Costco, you can use it anywhere Visa is accepted.

CNBC Select compared store credit cards to find the best from a variety of online merchants, big box retailers, warehouse clubs and home improvement stores. (All of the cards on our list are closed-loop cards, except for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi.)

For details on how we made our selections, read our methodology.

Who's this for? If you love going on Target runs, the Target Circle™ Card offers 5% off on most purchases, from groceries to clothing. This discount is unique because you receive it instantly at checkout, not as cash back or points that need to be redeemed later. Other perks include free two-day shipping from Target.com, an additional 30 days for returns and exchanges, exclusive access to new product launches and a coupon for 10% off one purchase every account anniversary.

Who's this for? The Walmart Rewards Card earn 5% cash back at Walmart.com and on the Walmart app and 2% cash back at Walmart stores and Walmart and Murphy USA fuel stations.

While the Walmart Rewards Card has a lower rewards rate for in-store purchases compared to online and app transactions, you can earn 5% back on in-store purchases made using Walmart Pay during the first 12 months from account opening.

Who's this for? Amazon aficionados with a Prime membership should consider opening the Amazon Prime Store Card. You can earn a high 5% cash back on Amazon.com purchases (though you don't earn cash back at other Amazon-owned properties, such as Whole Foods).

This card also offers special financing offers that can provide interest-free financing for six, 12, or 24 months. See below for the offers.

Special financing

• 6 months on purchases between $150 and $599.99
• 12 months on purchases of $600 or more
• 24 months on select purchases

Equal monthly payments

• Make equal monthly payments for six months on Amazon.com purchases of $50 to $599.99 and pay no interest.
• Make equal monthly payments for 12 months on Amazon.com purchases of $600 or more and pay no interest.
• Make equal monthly payments for 24 months on select Amazon.com purchases and pay no interest.

After the special financing offers end, there's a 29.99% variable APR. Both Amazon Store Cards charge deferred interest, which means you'll incur a charge for all the interest you accrued since you made the purchase.

Cardholders need to pay off the entire balance before the interest-free period ends in order to avoid deferred interest, which is a charge for all the interest you accrued during the special financing period.

You also have to choose between earning 5% cash back or using the promotional financing period. You can't use both perks together.

If you don't have a Prime membership, you can apply for the Amazon Store Card, which provides the same special financing offers but no rewards. And if you want a card that can be used virtually anywhere, check out the Prime Visa (see rates and fees) and the Amazon Visa.

Who's this for? Costco members can benefit from using the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi while stocking up at the warehouse store and making purchases outside of Costco. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, then 1% thereafter. Earn 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases, including Costco Travel, 2% cash back on eligible purchases from Costco and Costco.com, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

While you can earn a generous amount of cash back with this card, there are limitations to how you can redeem rewards. You earn an annual reward certificate after your February billing cycle ends, redeemable at U.S. Costco Warehouses. Learn more about how to redeem Costco credit card rewards.

Since this is a co-branded card, there are a number of additional perks, such as travel and emergency assistance, worldwide travel accident insurance and worldwide car rental insurance.

You need to be a Costco member and maintain an active membership to open this card. Membership currently costs $60 (Gold Star) or $120 (Executive) per year.

Who's this for? If you plan on doing home renovations or shop frequently at a home improvement store, you should consider the Lowe's Advantage Card. You can benefit from special financing offers and 5% off eligible purchases.

You can take advantage of no interest on purchases of $299 or more that are paid in full within six months. There are also occasional project financing offers at fixed-rates for 36, 60 or 84 months on purchases of $2,000 or greater.

Similar to the Amazon Prime Store Card, you can't combine the 5% discount with a special financing offer. And if you don't pay your balance before the no-interest period ends, you'll incur deferred interest.

To determine which credit cards offer the best value, Select analyzed popular store credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points.

Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. The company's data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can read more about their methodology here.

Esri's data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses.

Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee.

While the five-year estimates we've included are derived from a budget similar to the average American's spending, you may earn a higher or lower return depending on your shopping habits.

*Information about the Target Circle™ Card, Walmart Rewards Card, and Lowe's Advantage Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuers of the cards prior to publication.

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